Japanese comedian Ken Shimura dies from coronavirus

A man wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks past in front of a huge screen reporting death of Japanese comedian Ken Shimura, who had been hospitalised after being infected with the new coronavirus, in Osaka, western Japan, March 30, 2020, in this photo taken by Kyodo. — Mandatory credit Kyodo/via Reuters

Japanese comedian Ken Shimura, who had been hospitalised after being infected with the new coronavirus, has died, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday. He was 70.

Shimura, one of the country’s best-known comedians with a career dating back to the early 1970s, had been hospitalised in Tokyo and died on Sunday evening, NHK said.